Destiny 2 - Best Kinetic, Energy and Power Weapons

In the original Destiny, each weapon that you could get had a different perk roll on it. This meant that your Hung Jury Scout Rifle and my Hung Jury Scout Rifle were not created equally. This made it so players had to continue to grind for the “God” roll of a particular weapon. In Destiny 2, each weapon has the same perk roll player to player, so there is a definitive list of what is the best, and then there’s the rest.

Below, I’ll outline a couple weapons from each of the three main weapon categories in Destiny 2, those being Kinetic, Energy and Power. These are weapons that you should absolutely hang on to if they drop for you, although that’s not to say they are the only ones. There are more great weapons than what I’ve got on this list, but this list is a good place to start.

Kinetic - MIDA Multi-Tool

The MIDA Multi-Tool is a must-own for players in both PvP and PvE. On the PvP side, it was used in over 90 percent of Trials of the Nine matches in the first week. This is mainly due to the speed boost you get while using it, and the fact that your radar stays active when you’re aiming down sight. The MIDA Multi-Tool also comes in handy during aspects of the Leviathan raid, and players who know how to get the MIDA Multi-Tool can do so quite easily instead of waiting for the right Exotic engram. You will see this one a lot, as it’s one of the most used weapons in all of Destiny 2.

Kinetic - Better Devils

If you’re into Hand Cannons, Better Devils is one that you should look out for. It has good all-around stats, but most notably, it comes with bullets that explode on impact. This means that the shots you land will do a bit of additional damage and, perhaps most importantly, will annoy and distract your enemy who won’t be expecting the effect. To get this Hand Cannon players will need to hit the Crucible. It can drop from an end of match reward, a Legendary engram after handing in tokens to Shaxx, or as part of the Call to Arms powerful Legendary engram reward each week.

Kinetic - Nameless Midnight

Trust me when I tell you that you need a good Legendary Scout Rifle in your Kinetic if you hope to be an effective player in PvE in Destiny 2. For a long time, I was handcuffed by bad Scout Rifles, forcing me to use the MIDA Multi-Tool as my only option. This caused me all sorts of problems in the Calus boss fight, as I couldn’t use Coldheart on the boss. Nameless Midnight will fix that, as it is one of, if not the, best Scout Rifles for PvE with rate of fire and explosive rounds. This weapon can drop in Legendary engrams from Commander Zavala, a Gunsmith engram, or even perhaps a random Legendary drop.

Energy - Risk Runner

As far as the Submachine Gun category goes, there are few better options over the Riskrunner. It fires a whopping 900 rounds per minute, equal to the MIDA Mini-Tool, and has a default perk that will be a huge benefit in the right PvE scenarios. The Arc Conductor perk will increase weapon damage when you are taking Arc damage, and chain lightning to other enemies and return ammo to your magazine. In the right situation, you can fire the Riskrunner almost endlessly if you have the right Arc grenade. Riskrunner can be snagged from Asher who you’ll find is the NPC on IO.

Energy - Uriel’s Gift

Uriel’s Gift is an Auto Rifle that I find valuable in both PvP and PvE. In PvP, it’s one of the best Auto Rifles you can use. Hardly a match will go by where you don’t recognize the sound of Uriel’s Gift firing back at you from the enemy team. This is due to its range and good overall stats beyond that. The Precision Frame means that your recoil pattern is quite manageable. I even found it useful during parts of the Leviathan raid, so it can be a benefit to your loadout in PvP and PvE. You’ll get it from Legendary engrams that you take to the Cryptarch, Legendary engrams from Failsafe on Nessus, or from Legendary engrams from the Gunsmith.

Energy - MIDA Mini-Tool

This Submachine Gun is the little brother or sister of the MIDA Multi-Tool. In fact, you’ll get it in the same quest line, so unlocking one means unlocking both. It fires a crazy 900 rounds per minute, and can shred your foes at close range be it PvP or PvE. The best part about the MIDA Mini-Tool, is that you get the speed boost that the MIDA Multi-Tool gives you so long as you have both equipped at the same time. Try this MIDA combo out in PvP and you’re sure to find favorite loadout.

Power - Curtain Call

Curtain Call is a Legendary Rocket Launcher, and is widely regarded as one of the best in the game. What makes this thing special is the Cluster Bomb perk. When the original projectile connects, it releases a cluster of bombs (as you might have guessed) that will deal additional damage. This is a high velocity and high blast radius weapon that only fires a single shot before you must reload. You can snag it from the Legendary engram packages you receive from Commander Zavala.

Power - The Prospector

I’ll let you in on a little secret that truly skilled players will notice rather quickly; Grenade Launchers are crazy good in Destiny 2, although many avoid them. In PvE, the Grenade Launcher can be a difference maker in many events. Skilled players will learn how to land shots, and none are better at this than the Prospector. In the Raid, it can be used to melt Ceremonial Bathers and Centurions, partly because you get eight shots in your magazine and have room for error. The Prospector will drop from Exotic engrams, or you might find it being sold by Xur when he arrives on Friday.

Power - It Stared Back

I’ve always been a lover of edged weapons in Destiny and Destiny 2. It Stared Back is my favorite from Destiny 2 because of the Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade perks. The former grants additional ammo for landing three quick strikes, and the latter gives you increased damaged for consecutive strikes landed. In short, these perks go hand in hand to make a great weapon. This Legendary Sword is a reward from the Leviathan raid, so you’re going to have to head in there and do some work if you hope to snag it. On the other hands, the Sword class of weapons has a lot of contenders, so give some consideration to all you unlock until you find one that’s right for you.

Again, there are many more great weapons in Destiny 2 than my personal best list here. You should read up on what other players think, try them all, and allow yourself to settle on your own set. After all, a lot of this comes down to play style and preference. While you’re working through that, though, have a look at our Destiny 2 complete strategy guide.

Bill, who is also known as Rumpo, is a lifelong gamer and Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He is known for his guide writing and, unsettlingly enough, enjoys grinding out in-depth collectible articles. Tweet him @RumpoPlays if you have a question or comment about one of his guides.